Sacrifice
by YoshiFurbyPhoenixGirl257
Summary: “Self sacrifice... That is what defines a ninja. Scourning the sun to work in shadows... That is how it has always been...” Oneshot on Root ninja, Itachi, and sacrifices. Slight manga spoilers.


It was with a mixture of pride and sorrow that Danzo looked upon his troops.

Pride, because each and every one of Root's members were strong, strong and powerful, firm enough to push aside their feelings and capable of protecting Konoha – no matter the cost.

Sorrow, because, contrary to popular belief, he did care about his subordinates, and the sad truth – the truth he alone knew – that not a single Root member regretted (or would regret had they full human capacity) their loss of emotion and ability of to feel. And he was proud of them, that they willingly made that sacrifices necessary to protect their home. Sadness, to, perputually soaked through his being, that such sacrifices were necessary in this world.

However, the fact of the matter, Danzo had long ago decided, is that they were necessary and would continue to be, through eternity. It was the sad, yet undeniable fate of the ninja world, and one Danzo had come to terms with.

He had accepted it; and was determined to deal with the world as harshly as it dealt with him and his village.

It would be tonight. Tonight that another sacrifice would be made for the well-being of the village. His eyes scanning over the practicing Root members, he found the young, dark-haired teen, the one assigned to killing his own clan.

Danzo had his doubts about the boy, but there was nothing he could do. The Third Hokage had asked him to help surpress the Uchiha's emotions, after the boy had resolved to do the job himself.

It was the one thing so few understood. Yes, his methods were brutal, in some ways. The sorts of trails he would put his subordinates through most would consider out right monstrous.

So few of them saw it for what it really was:

Mercy.

His eyes wandered over his ranks, wondering. Would any of them – a single one – be sane had they emotion, feeling? Would they truly be able to live with themselves? He doubted it.

No, instead, each and every one of his subordinates would be in their own personal hell.

Danzo left the room, to confront the Uchiha and hopefully make the process of annihilating his own clan less... Painful...

As he walked down the stairs, Danzo mused on the sacrifice Itachi Uchiha was about to make – and the sacrifices he himself had made, and those of each Root member. He had been close friends, once, with the Third Hokage.

Even now, buried deeper than any Byakugan's eye could see, there lingered traces of friendship and loyalty to the Third. Danzo shook his head. That was ancient history; the Third Hokage had chosen his path.

One day, Konoha would pay for the fool's mistakes. Danzo himself had been a naiive fool to call the weak fool a friend. He refused to allow any old sentiments stand in the way of protecting what mattered most in the world: Konoha.

His actions would never betray him. It didn't matter – that long ago bond he and the Third had had. They had severed it that fateful day, the day when Konoha had been doomed.

Danzo grit his teeth. It was _his _fault. He had failed to defeat the Third, and now _Konoha_ was going to pay the price for _his_ mistake. He'd do anything, _anything_, to undo the failure from so long ago, but sadly now all he could do was use Root to buffer and protect Konoha, and maybe, just maybe, they would survive.

His eyes met the red sharingan of Itachi Uchiha, and his face engraved itself in Danzo's memory; another sacrifice among countless others.

"Self sacrifice... That is what defines a ninja. Scourning the sun to work in shadows... That is how it has always been..." And abandoning and tossing aside emotions and feelings, to give up not only life but the ability to live, that is what defines a Root Ninja

**Just a little drabble, I never did realize this, but Danzo really does have a point about Itachi not being the only one (though granted his sacrifice might actually be slightly greater). I did take the liberty of making up a few things (just him once being a friend with the Third and Itachi going to Root to try to numb emotions, that's all) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and Senya, from Shippuden OST 2, is awesome. Just saying. I was listening to it while writing this. **


End file.
